Weather Forecast

House releases committees, chairmen

ST. PAUL -- The Minnesota House released a list of committee chairmen Friday dominated by Minneapolis and St. Paul lawmakers.

House Speaker-designate Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, announced that urban representatives will lead 13 of the 28 committees. Suburban Twin Cities legislators will be in charge of seven, with those elsewhere in the state leading eight.

Thissen and Majority Leader-elect Erin Murphy of St. Paul are the top two DFL caucus leaders.

Democrats retook the House in the Nov. 6 election after giving up power two years ago. The party's strongest support comes from urban areas, with suburban and rural areas more divided.

The party in power almost always puts its members in chairmanships.

"I look forward to working with so many incredibly talented and knowledgeable representatives from across Minnesota," Thissen said in a statement. "They are ready to roll up their sleeves, tackle tough challenges, and govern well."

The next legislative session begins at noon Jan. 8 with the main task of writing a two-year budget.